The Ancient House of Carvin
by Veserus
Summary: Harry embarks on a new quest in his sixth year at Hogwarts. On the way he meets new friends, new enemies, and learns a few truths that will completely shatter his world. This is the sequel to ‘Teaching Harry’.
1. The First Day At Hogwarts

Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters or settings in this story. The honour belongs solely to JK Rowling. I suspect that I do not even own half of the plot, as this has been influenced by the numerous fanfics I've read. 

Summary: Harry embarks on a new quest in his sixth year at Hogwarts. On the way he meets new friends, new enemies, and learns a few truths that will completely shatter his world. This is the sequel to 'Teaching Harry'. 

Spoilers: All five books

Rating: PG-13 – Just to be safe

Note: I will be updating this story every weekend. It contains 25 chapters and is approximately 100,000 words in length. 

**Chapter 1: The First Day at Hogwarts. **

            Harry woke up in a very good mood on his first full day at Hogwarts, or home, as he would rather call it. He had just spent a horrible summer with Snape, but it was worth it. He could now study Advanced Potions, and become an Auror. And it was all due to Professor McGonagall.

            Harry used every power he had to prevent himself from humming as he was getting dressed. He was afraid that maybe the other Gryffindors in his dorm might think he was losing his mind if he started singing and decide to send him off to St Mungo's.

            Harry turned to the four-poster bed which was situated next to his. Ron was still asleep. Harry wanted to wake him up so he would have someone to talk to on this fine morning, but thought better of it. Ron was usually grumpy in the mornings at the best of times, but when his sleep was disturbed, one should really look for cover. Besides, it was still very early, two hours to go before breakfast was served.

            Harry decided that the best course of action would be to grab his firebolt and get in some flying before breakfast. Harry smiled as he could imagine Hermione's reaction, "you really ought to start studying you know, we're studying Advanced subjects now and they're bound to be really hard!" But studying before he had even set foot in class was not something he was particularly interested in doing.

            Harry quietly grabbed his Firebolt so as not to disturb the others and descended the stairs to the common room. He was surprised to see Hermione already there, although he was not so surprised to see all four sides of her table loaded with books.

            Harry smiled as he approached her. "Hey Hermione," Harry said cheerfully.  

            Hermione was startled as she looked up. "Harry, don't scare me like that!" she cried. 

            "Sorry," Harry replied, although he wasn't really that sorry at all. He was quite amused by the whole thing actually. However, given Harry's mood, he would probably be amused by the stinger, sucker and blasting end of a Blast-Ended Skrewt.

            "What are you doing studying already, Hermione. Classes haven't even started yet?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to change the subject.

            "Well, we _are_ studying Advanced subjects, you know you should be studying too -" but Hermione got no further than that as Harry cut her off.

            "Okay, okay, I got it," he replied, not wanting a lecture on his first day of Hogwarts. "Listen, I'm off to the Quidditch pitch to get in some flying. I didn't get a chance to fly at the Dursley's," Harry told her.

            Hermione looked disapproving of the fact that Harry seemed to already lack study ethics on his first day but she understood. "Alright, Harry, I'll see you at breakfast."

            "Tell Ron where I am if he ever wakes up," Harry told her.

            Hermione nodded and returned to her studying. Harry watched her for a moment. He saw her studying intently on Potions and quickly decided that that kind of devotion to spider legs and burlap juice was simply not normal. Of course, he had to concede that begging Snape to let Harry stay in his house with him wasn't exactly normal either.

            On the way to the Quidditch pitch, Harry reflected on the events of the summer. He had gotten a letter from Dumbledore saying that he had arranged a tutor in Potions for Harry over summer, and if Harry achieved the appropriate grade, he would be able to study Advanced Potions, thus enabling him to still seek his ambitions of becoming an Auror. Harry had been ecstatic until he found out who his tutor was. It was Snape. So Harry had to endure an entire summer of constant criticisms and insults from both Snape and the Dursleys. Harry thought it had all been for nothing as he only achieved an 'E' grade, but then Dumbledore had came to his rescue yet again. He thought fondly of the memory of Snape's face when he found out that Dumbledore had arranged for Professor Morgan to teach Potions this year, so that Harry would be accepted into the class. Harry only wished he knew how to use a pensieve, so that he could store that memory forever and watch it again, and again, and again.

            Then there was Mark Evans. Mark had appealed for Harry's help towards the end of the summer. Mark's father did not want Mark to study magic. Harry could sympathise with this, as the Dursleys felt the same way towards Harry's schooling. He knew that there was a difference, however. The Dursleys hated magic simply because they hated anything out of the ordinary. But something happened to Mr Evans mother, something bad, and it left her insane. And whatever it was it had something to do with the magical world. This was why Mr Evans did not want Mark to study magic, and this was what Mark was appealing to Harry for. To find out what happened to his grandmother. 

            Harry had already told Ron and Hermione about Mark's predicament last night at the welcoming feast, and they were all too ready to start the investigation. In fact, Hermione wanted to start studying the diary that Mark gave to Harry that very night, but Ron and Harry managed to talk her out of it. They were all too exhausted.

            Harry felt the old sense of elation he always felt when he reached the Quidditch field. This was his favourite thing about Hogwarts. He simply loved flying. He valued the ability to jump on his broomstick and soar though the air with the wind in his face, and forget about all of his troubles.

            He flew about fifteen laps, weaving in and out of the hoops on either side of the field. He completely forgot where he was until he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He turned around and saw someone near the edge of the forbidden forest, but he was too far away to work out who that person was. Harry could only think of one person who would be near the forbidden forest at this time of morning. Hagrid, the gamekeeper. Harry cherished his friendship with Hagrid; if not the strange (and dangerous) creatures Hagrid had the tendency to introduce him to.

            Harry flew closer to where Hagrid was standing, but swerved away at the last moment. It was not Hagrid at all. It was Snape. Harry recognised the big billowing cloak of his dreaded Potions master. He could not believe he had mistaken Hagrid for Snape. They were not at all alike. Not in size or demeanour. Harry hovered behind the trees in an effort to become invisible. The last thing he wanted was to be accused of spying on Snape. He tried to think of a way to get back to the Quidditch pitch without being seen. He was amazed he had made it here unnoticed, as there was a lot of clear air between the Quidditch field and the forest. He decided to make a run (or fly) for it. He was just about to take off when he heard a woman's laughter. Harry looked down and saw that Snape was talking to a woman. He hadn't seen her before because she had been obscured by the trees. She was dressed in traditional black teaching robes and had long blond hair. That was all he could make out from his position.

            Harry was trying to work out who this woman could be, and then it suddenly came to him. She was wearing teaching robes so she must be a new teacher at Hogwarts. And there was only one position open. She was the new Potions Professor, Professor Morgan. He hadn't even looked at her during the feast last night. Harry also remembered that Snape said she was a personal friend of his, which explains the friendly nature. For a moment Harry wondered just how friendly they were, and this thought brought a wave of extreme nausea flooding over him. He decided it was probably best not to think about such things. 

            But fate was not on his side. Harry saw Snape brush a lock of hair behind Professor Morgan's ear, and she giggled. Harry couldn't stand to see any more and he soared straight back to the Quidditch pitch, hoping that Snape was so focused on Professor Morgan that he wouldn't notice Harry flying about.

            Back at the Quidditch field, Harry landed, and had to hold onto the side railings to stop himself from falling. His head was spinning. He couldn't believe that any woman would be interested in Snape, and although he didn't see much of her, she seemed to be quite attractive.

            Harry looked up to see a mop of red hair peer through the doorway of the dressing rooms.

            "There you are, Harry," Ron said. "I thought you must have left. I've been here for ages."

            Harry shook his head to try and clear it, then said, "Ron, you will not believe what I've just seen!" and he recounted everything he had seen and heard by the forbidden forest, watching with some amusement at the colour draining from Ron's face, freckles included.

            "Blimey! The greasy git's got a girl? Who'd have him?" Ron asked, aghast.

            "The new Potions Professor, apparently."

            Ron stared at Harry, "You still want to fly?"

            "Not particularly, you?"

            Ron shook his head. "Let's go in for breakfast."

            So they both left the Quidditch field and headed for the great hall with incredulous looks on their faces. But Harry couldn't stop thinking about it. Morgan was a friend (or possibly more) of Snape's. The idea that Potions class may be easier now that Snape wasn't teaching it left Harry's mind. In fact, an old muggle saying that Aunt Petunia used to use a lot came to mind, 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire.'

Hermione was already sitting at the Gryffindor table when Ron and Harry arrived. She was simultaneously gorging her face with food and reading a particularly large and seemingly complicated book.

            "Doing some light reading, Hermione?" Ron joked as he sat down next to her.

            Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's our text for Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ron! I haven't even finished it. I don't know what I've been thinking of!" and she immediately stuck her nose back into the book.

            "Sorry I asked," muttered Ron, as he piled his plate as full of eggs, bacon, sausages and toast as he could without it falling over the edges.

            "That's okay, Ron. She's too busy to hear about what I just saw." Harry smiled, tempting her.

            It was enough because Hermione's ears pricked and her eyes peered over the top of her book. "What did you see?"

            "Snape, making out with the new Potions Professor," Harry responded.

            "What?!" Hermione exclaimed.

            "Well, okay, not making out, but they looked pretty cosy."

            "Who looked cosy?" Neville asked who just walked in and sat down next to Harry.

            "Snape and Morgan," Ron answered.

            "Wow," Neville muttered, wide eyed. Everyone knew just how much Neville was afraid of Snape and he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to be alone in the same room with him.

            "But keep it quiet, ok? If Snape found out I saw him, well, let's just say it would be horrible, alright?" Harry cautioned.

            The three of them nodded their heads.

            Just then, Professor McGonagall walked up to the Gryffindor table near the sixth years. "This is your class schedule. We are doing things a little differently this year. As some advanced subjects will be almost empty for some houses, the classes will not be assigned according to house. You will need to look at the available class times and sign up for the class you want to be in. Your schedule contains only those subjects you are eligible to take. As students sign up, you will see the numbers increase in the right hand column with the name of the students taking that class. Some classes will fill up quickly so it would be best to complete this as soon as possible. To give yourselves time to fill in your schedules and to give the teachers time to solve any scheduling problems that may arise, the sixth and seventh years will begin their classes next week. You would be advised to spend that time wisely."

            All the sixth and seventh years, besides Hermione, were elated at this news. They had five days before classes started, and they were going to use the time well.

            Harry took a good look at his schedule. The subjects he wanted to take to become an Auror were all there, as were the times the classes were to be held. He could see a small '0' beside each one, meaning that no-one had signed up for any of the classes yet. As he was looking at the schedule, he saw the number for Advanced Potions, Monday 11-12, increase to '1', and the neatly printed name of _Hermione Granger_ appeared next to it. He looked up to see Hermione already filling in her sheet.

            "Hermione, we have plenty of time to do this," Harry complained.

            "Better to be prepared. Like Professor McGonagall said, all the good classes will fill up quick. You should do yours too," Hermione retorted.

            Harry once again glanced at his schedule, and knowing that Hermione was right, started searching his bag for an ink pot and a quill. Just as he was about to choose his classes, Hedwig arrived with a letter. Wondering who would be writing to him so soon, Harry forgot about the schedule and removed the letter from Hedwig's leg.

            "It's from Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed enthusiastically as he recognised Hagrid's untidy scrawl. Ron and Hermione looked up and motioned for Harry to read the note.

_            Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione,_

_            Welcome back! I know that sixth years don't start classes until next week, so as soon as you get a moment why don't you three pop into my hut for a cuppa. We've got loads to catch up on._

_            From Hagrid_

            "Cool, let's go!" Ron urged, already stuffing his schedule into his bag. He hadn't even bothered to get his quill and ink out to fill it in.

            "Ron, you should really be working on your schedule," Hermione warned.

            "Like Harry said, plenty time later. Come on, Hermione, we haven't seen Hagrid for ages!" Ron said standing up, and swinging his bag over his shoulder.

            "I'll be there later. I want to finish this first, and you should too!" Hermione stated firmly, as if it was the end of the argument. 

            "Fine. What about you, Harry?" Ron's eyes where pleading, but it didn't take much to sway Harry, for he was already packing his bag.

            "We'll do this straight after we visit Hagrid. Promise."

            And Ron and Harry swept out of the room, with Hermione left behind shaking her head.

            Once outside, Harry's good mood which had temporarily soured by his witness of Snape earlier, returned with a vengeance.

            The walk to Hagrid's hut was short and uneventful. They met up with Hagrid while he was supervising the transport of a large crate carried by two huge burly men into Hagrid's vegetable patch at the back of his hut.

            "Will here be alright, Hagrid?" the taller of the two men asked, pointing to a place behind a particularly large cabbage.

            "Fine, fine," Hagrid answered, bouncing on the balls of his feet and clapping his hands together. Hagrid looked quite pleased with himself.

            Harry and Ron watched the two men straining to lower the huge crate to the ground. Just as they were leaving, Harry saw a long black leg creep out of a narrow gap in the crate which looked suspiciously like a spider leg.

            "They aren't spiders, are they Hagrid?" Ron asked, his lips quivering. He still hadn't gotten over his fear of spiders, and his encounter with Aragog in his second year hadn't helped any.

            Hagrid turned on his feet, clearly astonished to see Harry and Ron standing there. He quickly got over his surprise and beamed at them. "Harry! And Ron! I was hopin' yer'd stop by. Come in, come in!" Hagrid said, ushering them inside.

            But Ron was not going to be deterred. "Those things in the crate – "

            "Nuthin' to worry abou', Ron. Just a new project, is all. This year's goin' ter be great, you mark my words. Come in, I've just made some rock cakes. They'd be ready now."

            Harry walked into Hagrid's hut wondering what new and terrifying creature Hagrid's going to show them this time. The boys sat down at the table in the centre of the hut while Hagrid prepared the refreshments. 

            "'ave a good summer, Harry?" Hagrid asked, while piling a load of cakes onto a platter.

            "Not particularly," Harry replied, with a wry smile.

            Hagrid looked at Harry with a concerned expression on his face. "Why, wha' happened?"

            As Hagrid placed the cakes and tea on the table, Harry went into full detail of his summer with Snape, the tutoring, the mystery helper, and finally having to live with Snape. Harry neglected to mention anything about Mark. That was a mystery for the trio to solve, and he didn't want to share it yet. Besides, that was Mark's story to tell. Besides, that was Mark's story to tell. Harry had told Ron and Hermione with Mark's permission so they could help, but he felt he had no right to tell anyone else about it.

            When Harry had finished, Hagrid let out a small chuckle. Harry felt horrified that Hagrid was so amused by his summer of torment.

            "What's so funny?" Harry demanded.

            "I'm sorry, Harry. Yer had it easy, really."

            "Easy?" Harry was incredulous.

            "Well, yeah. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher. Yer safe wi' him. He's a good man, Snape."

            Ron was just in the process of gulping down a huge mouthful of hot tea, and promptly spat it out all over the table in shock. Harry quickly got up to retrieve a towel to mop up the mess.

            "Snape's a good man!?" Ron asked incredulously. Before he could stop himself, Ron added, "He's a greasy little git, that's what he is!"

            "Ron!" Hagrid exclaimed.

            Slightly abashed, Ron said, "I'm sorry, but he is. He's horrible to everyone but the Slytherins. Look at how he treats Harry!"

            Hagrid stared at Ron in a way that made Ron shrink back into his chair. "Professor Snape is a good man, Ron. He mighten' be the friendliest character, but he is on our side. Tha's wha' counts. And as fer his treatment of Harry, Professor Snape would sacrifice his life to save Harry if it came ter that, I promise yer."

            Ron was about to retort but was cut off by Hagrid's glare. It was clear that that was the end of that particular conversation.

            Throughout the argument, Harry just stared back and forth between Ron and Hagrid. Harry tried to gently bite into a rock cake, knowing full well what to expect. This time, instead of getting his jaw glued shut, his teeth couldn't even penetrate the surface of the cake. Harry briefly thought that somebody should really tell Hagrid that rock cakes weren't actually made of rocks.

            Thankfully, a knock at the door cut through the icy silence which had started to mount up. Hagrid rose to answer the door. It was Hermione. 

            "I've finished my schedule. You two should really get started. Classes are filling up quick," Hermione stated, holding out the schedule in front of Ron's face.

            Ron swiped the piece of parchment away. "Later, Hermione."

            With pursed lips, Hermione sat down in a spare seat at the table.

            Wanting to change the conversation, Harry asked, "Hagrid, what's been happening over the summer? With Voldemort, I mean."

            Hagrid and Ron both visibly shuddered at the use of the name but neither mentioned anything about it. "Nuthin' much," Hagrid answered. "He's still pretty quiet. Dumbledore reckons that his exposure at the Ministry stilted his plans. Everyone knows he's back, see. Makes it 'arder fer him. But he's still out there, planning somethin', you mark my words."

            Harry had no doubt that Voldemort was planning something big, and he had a sneaking suspicion that whatever it was it concerned him somehow. He felt this was a logical conclusion as just about everything Voldemort had done since his return (and even before his return) had revolved around Harry.

            "But surely you know something," Harry persisted.

            "Yer'll 'ave to ask Dumbledore."

            "What about the giants. Has anything happened there? Are any of them going to help?"

            "Not yet. But they'll come."

            "Alright," Harry conceded, sulkily.

            "Speaking of giants, Hagrid, how is Grawp doing?" Hermione asked, entering the conversation for the first time.

            It was the right question to ask because Hagrid's eyes lit up. "Great, really great. He's bin askin' about yer, 'ermione. He's startin' ter understand things now. Not so aggressive. Yer three should come with me to see him, if yer've got the time now?" Hagrid asked hopefully.

            "Er-" Harry started, not sure what to say. After Harry's last encounter with Grawp in the forbidden forest, he had no desire to go there again, even if Grawp did save him and Hermione from the centaurs.

            "We'd love to, Hagrid," Hermione started, and sighed at Ron and Harry's expressions of aghast. Hermione continued, "But Ron and Harry really do have to fill out their schedules. It's really important they do it now. We'll see Grawp another time?"

            Hagrid looked crestfallen, but agreed. "Alright. Do yer want another cuppa?"

            All three nodded their heads vigorously, thankful they managed to get out of visiting Grawp, this time.

            After this, the conversation moved onto easier and more enjoyable topics. Classes, Quidditch, future ambitions and Quidditch were a couple of the topics they covered. They were all having a very good time until Hermione suddenly exclaimed, making Harry, Ron and Hagrid jump.

            "It's nearly lunchtime! We've been here for hours! We'd better go!"

            After lunch the three of them found themselves sitting at the table in front of the empty fireplace. Harry and Ron were playing wizard chess, and Hermione was reading yet another text book, which Harry assumed must be Ancient Runes by the look of the strange symbols on the cover. Hermione was giving them both the occasional disapproving side glance as they still hadn't worked out their schedules. Harry was happy though that Hermione had stopped harping on at them about it. There was still plenty of time.

            After four spectacular losses in a row to Ron, Harry thought it was probably about time to get started on the schedule. He was about to mention it to Ron, when Lavender Brown and Ginny Weasley approached them.

            "Hi, Harry," Ginny said.

            "Hi, what's up?" Harry answered back.

            "What do you want?" Ron said shortly.

            "We were just wondering if the DA will start up again." Ginny said, not the slightest bit deterred about Ron's brashness. Harry guessed she was probably used to it by now, having grown up in a household of six brothers.

            Harry hadn't really thought about starting up the DA again, since Umbridge was not longer around. Harry recollected the way in which Umbridge was unceremoniously ejected from the Hogwarts grounds and smiled.

            "Well?" Ginny asked, getting impatient.

            "I don't know, what do you guys think?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione.

            Ron shrugged, but Hermione nodded enthusiastically.

            "I think it would be a great idea. With Snape teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, I think it would be best to get some practise before lessons."

            "Snape wouldn't just teach us theory like Umbridge did, though," Ron pointed out.

            "No, but he's not going to go easy on us, is he. Snape's going to make Defense Against the Dark Arts as difficult as possible for us," Hermione countered.

            "Besides," Ginny injected, "it was a lot of fun last year, I thought."

            Harry nodded. "It might be a good idea. I'll get permission from McGonagall this time though."

            And they all spent the afternoon discussing the DA and anything else they could think of, their schedules forgotten.

            Later on in the evening, after they had tea and were all exhausted and ready to seek out their beds, Ron, Harry and Hermione were sitting alone in the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron with expressions of exasperation, and Hermione sitting smugly saying 'I told you so' with her very amused eyes. Harry and Ron were again sitting at the table by the slightly simmering fire with their schedules in front of them. They finally realised the wisdom that Hermione showed by nagging at them all day about their schedules. Harry wished that maybe one day he would not just listen to Hermione's advice but act on it. He stared at the only available classes left and prayed for some miracle that there would be some way out of this catastrophe. For the only classes left were all filled with Slytherins, who had clearly stuck together when they filled out their schedules, and who the other students were clearly trying to avoid. With the exception of Care of Magical Creatures, both Harry and Ron would be stuck with Draco Malfoy in every single class for the entire year.

**************************

**Please R&R**


	2. The Diary

Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters or settings in this story. The honour belongs solely to JK Rowling. I suspect that I do not even own half of the plot, as this has been influenced by the numerous fanfics I've read. 

**Chapter 2: The Diary**

            After spending half the night thinking about how horrible his classes were going to be this year with Draco Malfoy in almost every one of them, Harry finally decided that there was nothing he could do about it so he would enjoy the next few days before hell started. He eventually got to sleep around 4.00am, which was the reason for his arriving late for breakfast the next morning.

            "Hi sleepyhead," Hermione said as Harry sat down. Harry's hair was messier than usual and there were bags under his eyes.

            Harry didn't answer; he just gave her a withering look and started piling up his plate with eggs, bacon and sausages. Harry looked over at Ron and saw he was equally as depressed, but not at all sleepy. Harry knew from the persistent snoring that last night's revelation didn't affect Ron's sleep patterns at all.

            "Since we've got a few days before classes start, we should get started on that diary," Hermione said chirpily. "Mark's counting on us."

            Ron gave Hermione a dirty look and said through a mouthful of eggs, "I don't know what you're so happy about, Hermione. You'd think you would be a little sorry for us, maybe even share in our depression?"

            "Don't blame me for getting yourself into this mess, Ron. I nagged you all day to fill in your schedules," Hermione said bluntly.

            "I know Hermione. I promise we will never procrastinate again. We've learnt our lesson," Harry assured her.

            "And how long will this last, may I ask?" Hermione asked.

            "Oh, at least until after breakfast." Ron answered and they all laughed.

            "So what about the diary?" Hermione insisted. "We should get started, and since we're still at breakfast you can't procrastinate."

            "Straight after breakfast, Hermione. How about we go by the lake and read it? No point wasting this wonderful weather," Ron said looking up at the enchanted ceiling into a blazing blue sky. "Besides, I want to know what happened to Mark's grandmother too."

            Harry was going to add his agreement to Ron's when Professor McGonagall interrupted.

            "Mr Potter, I wish to speak with you." Professor McGonagall said in her customarily stern manner.

            Harry nodded and got up out of his chair. He followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall, into the Entrance Hall and up the stairs towards Gryffindor tower. She was leading him to her office. Harry briefly wondered if he had done anything wrong. He had only been here a couple of days. Surely he wasn't in trouble yet?

            Once in her office, McGonagall turned to Harry with a more pleasant but concerned expression on her face. "Are you alright, Potter? You look drawn."

            "I'm fine, Professor. I just didn't get much sleep last night," said Harry honestly.

"Well, I want you to keep an eye on that, Potter, and if it happens again I want you to see Madam Pomfrey."

            Harry nodded, and thought, 'Was this all she wanted to see me about? My health?'

            "I didn't bring you here to enquire about your health, however," McGonagall said, as if reading his mind. "I have some good news, Potter. You have been made captain of this year's Gryffindor Quidditch team."

            Harry's face beamed. "Thanks, Professor."

            "Don't thank me. You've earned it. You'll have a lot of work to do. Are you sure you have the time –"

            "Definitely," Harry said promptly. He had secretly hoped that he would be made captain at some point before he left Hogwarts.

            "Good, I am pleased to hear that. Now, you'll have to arrange the tryouts. I believe with the graduation of Miss Spinnet and Miss Johnson you will need to find two more chasers."

            "Yes, Professor. I'll put a notice up and start tryouts as soon as possible," Harry confirmed.

            "I will book the Quidditch pitch for Friday, then. Good day, Mr Potter."

            Harry left McGonagall's office feeling elated. He was captain! Harry rushed back to the Great Hall to tell Ron and Hermione the news.

            When he got there, he found that they were both as excited as he was.

            "Captain!" Ron exclaimed. "Excellent!"

            "Of course, you really did earn it, Harry. You are the best player on the team," Hermione said rationally.

            "Thanks guys," Harry smiled.

            "We should get some practise in now," Ron said. "Since Harry's captain, he really needs to set an example, right Harry?" Ron asked.

            Harry was just about to agree when Hermione said, "What about the diary? We need to get started. Mark is counting on us."

            "There's plenty of time, Hermione," Ron complained. "Harry really needs to practise – "

            "Ron!" Hermione cautioned. "What did we say not ten minutes ago about procrastination?"

            "That's right. Harry should not procrastinate about Quidditch practise." Ron stated firmly as if that settled the matter.

            "I think Hermione is right," Harry said. He chuckled at the look of shock on both Ron and Hermione's faces. "Ron, it's just that we didn't listen to Hermione about the schedule all day yesterday, and look what happened. We're stuck with the Slytherins for every class -"

            "Not for Care of Magical Creatures," Ron reminded him.

            "Only because the Slytherins don't want to take that subject. They hate Hagrid," Hermione countered.

            "The point is," Harry continued, "I think we should listen to Hermione. Besides, we can practise after lunch, right Hermione?"

            "Absolutely. What if you get the diary and meet Ron and me at the lake, okay?" she asked.

            "Okay."

            Twenty minutes later they were all huddled by an old oak tree by the lake, Ron and Harry lying on their backs enjoying the weather while Hermione was on her stomach with the diary open in front of her. They were watching the giant squid trying to grab hold of a couple of first years so that it could drag them into the water. One of the first years became so frightened that she ran straight for the Hogwarts front doors screaming. Harry chuckled.

            "Harry! That's mean! We should really go and see if she's alright. We have a responsibility now to the younger students," Hermione chastised.

            "She's alright," Ron stressed. "The Giant Squid wouldn't actually hurt anyone."

            "I know, but still."

            "She's alright," Harry repeated Ron's words and Hermione fell silent.

            "Maybe it was a book." Ron said, jumping to the earlier conversation about Mark Evans' grandmother. "Dad says that a book can do strange things to a person. Remember Ginny when You-Know-Who possessed her with that diary?"

            "Could be," Harry agreed.

            "Or maybe an Obliviate spell," Ron continued, "Like what happened to Bertha Jorkins."

            "Whatever it was," Hermione said, holding up the diary, "the answer has to be in here somewhere."

            "Well, have you found anything yet?" Ron asked.

            "Only that she's a perfectly happy muggle house wife taking care of a husband and two children in a perfectly normal suburban house in Bristol," Hermione answered.

            "Yeah, but anything that will tell us why she went nuts?"

            "Ron!"

            "Well," Ron pressed, unaffected by the chastisement.

            Hermione sighed, "Nope, nothing yet, but I've only read half a dozen entries. There are still loads to read."

            "This is going to take ages," Ron complained.

            Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to the diary.

            "Maybe you should go to the latest entry. If there is a clue, it would be there," Harry offered.

            Hermione was clearly not impressed with their lack of structure when it came to research but she complied. As she read the last entry, her eyes started to bulge.

            "You're right. Right here, look at this Harry," she said excitedly and handed Harry the diary. Harry read aloud the last entry of the diary.

_Monday 14th November, 1959___

_   I had a strange visitor today. He never told me his name, but he was tall and had short jet-black hair. He seemed to be quite respectable at first, and his robe looked just like one of the one's in those old books of mine. He claimed to be from some sort of historical society and he was asking about the book. That strange one Terry used to read to me when I was sick because I couldn't open it. He said it had historical importance and would buy it from me. I told him Terry gave it away last summer and he became angry, so angry he smashed all the glasses in my cabinet without even touching them. They were my best glasses too. Hand made and very expensive. Terry is going to be beside himself when he finds out. I hope I never see him again. He was frightening, and he scared poor little Jeremy. He cried for hours after that strange man left._

            Harry reread the entry several times to take it all in. "Alright. So there was a book which she couldn't open, and a strange man with jet black hair."

            "Sounds a lot like Snape," Ron said, jumping to conclusions.

            "Why on earth would you think that?" Hermione asked.

            "Tall, jet-black hair, and a shocking temper," Ron said, counting of the items that formed his case.

            Hermione rolled her eyes. "This was back in 1942, Ron. It can't have been Snape," she said logically.

            "Maybe it was a relative," Ron countered.

            Hermione groaned. "If it wasn't Snape it was a relative. Can't you think of a different suspect for once?"

            "Well, Snape's always in the thick of things isn't he? He says he's on our side, but how do we know for sure?"

            "He saved Harry's life, remember?"

            "He was repaying a debt, wasn't he? For when Harry's dad saved him from Lupin. He had no choice. And why did it take so long for Snape to get the Order after us when we were at the ministry. We were hours on those thestrals! What was he doing?"

            Hermione ignored that. "Dumbledore trusts him."

            "Dumbledore makes mistakes."

            "Ron, Hermione. Stop it," Harry snapped. He was too busy thinking about the entry in the diary to listen to Ron and Hermione's squabbling. 

            "Do we have any information on that book?" Hermione asked.

            "Not yet. It implies she's mentioned it before though, so there may be something in an earlier entry," Harry answered.

            "So we need to read it through properly," Hermione said smugly, and took the diary back.

            After Hermione started reading again, Ron piped up, "I told you it was a book!"

            Later on in the day after Harry and Ron returned to the Gryffindor common room after some one-on-one Quidditch practice, Hermione ushered them over to the corner of the room were she had been studying. 

            "I've been reading some more of that diary, and it appears that Mark's grandmother was a witch," Hermione said.

            "Okay," Harry replied.

            "Not a full witch though. She never went to a wizarding school or anything, but she could do things. Like basic levitation and summoning spells. She didn't mean to, of course. But she was fascinated by the subject. She couldn't read that book so she got her husband to read it for her until he gave it away. She doesn't say exactly why he did that, but she implies that she was becoming sick with it and felt much better after the book was gone."

            "So maybe the book does make people crazy, like Ron said," Harry asked, and Ron grinned, thinking he got it right.

            "We don't know that for sure," said Hermione.

            "But it's possible," Ron said.

            Hermione nodded, "It's possible."

            "So what does this mean? Really, are we any closer to finding out the truth?"

            "Was there another mention of that book?" Ron asked.

            "Questions, questions," Hermione sighed. "I don't know and yes."

            Harry and Ron looked at each other, stupefied. Hermione rolled her eyes again. "I don't if we are any close to finding out the truth, and the book was called 'The Ancient House of Carvin'. Apparently, her husband Terry could open that book, and so could Jeremy, who was her five year-old son, but she couldn't."

            "The Ancient House of Carvin," Harry reiterated. "Sounds like a name for an old wizarding family."

            "I know. I'm going to start looking in the library tomorrow," Hermione said.

            "What! You haven't already started?" Ron asked with mock amusement.

            "You go then," Hermione challenged.

            "No, that's alright. Tomorrow will be fine."

            "Good, because I've still got plenty of study I need to do. I still have to finish my Transfiguration and Arithmency texts. I'm so far behind!"

            Ron and Harry smiled at each other, not even bothering to comment. They settled down to a game of wizards chess while Hermione caught up on her study. Just as Harry thought he might have the upper hand for once, Hermione said, "Do you guys know a girl called Glory Vexten?"

            Both Ron and Harry shook their heads.

            "Ah ha!" Harry exclaimed, because he had just made a spectacular move, taking Ron's queen.

            "Bloody hell," Ron said.

            "Well, this person is on our schedule," Hermione said, shoving the schedule right under Ron's and Harry's noses, bumping Harry's king and causing it to topple over. Ron's chess pieces started to cheer.

            "Hermione! I was winning!" Harry shouted.

            "Sorry," Hermione said, not really sorry at all.

            Ron picked up the schedule and looked at it. "Hey, Hermione's right, and she's in every one of our classes, including Care of Magical Creatures. Look," Ron said, passing the schedule to Harry.

            Harry briefly looked at the schedule. He didn't want to study it too closely until he had to, lest he be reminded of who he was stuck with all year. It was true though. This Glory Vexten was on the list.

            "I think it is safe to assume she's a Slytherin, if she's in classes with all the other Slytherins," Harry said.

            "Or, like you, she was slack when filling out her schedule," Hermione shrugged.

            The next day born sunny and warm, and the last thing either Ron or Harry wanted to do was be locked up in the library, but as Mark's pleading eyes had asked them to, they couldn't refuse. The three of them were all in the library straight after breakfast, looking for a book entitled 'The Ancient House of Carvin', or any mention of such.

            They started in the History section of the library. After a while, Harry said, "You know, this library really needs a better cataloguing system. Even the muggles use a computer. Just type in the search term and out pops a list of books to look at."

            "What's a computer?" Ron asked.

            "An electrical device used to store and retrieve information," Hermione said in the simplest terms she could think of.

            Ron blinked. "What's an electrical device?"

            Hermione laughed a little. "Um, I'll show you some time," she said.

            The three of them searched for hours, but they didn't find any family by the name of Carvin. "This is pointless," Ron complained. "We don't even know if this family has anything to do with Mark's grandmother."

            "Except that she had their book," Hermione said.

            "Maybe she just bought it at a discount store," Ron countered.

            "But that man was specifically looking for that book. It was important to him," replied Hermione.

            "Will you two stop bickering? You haven't stopped since we got to Hogwarts," Harry snapped. He was developing a headache.

            "Sorry," Ron and Hermione said together.

            Just then, something happened that really made Harry's day. A certain blond haired Slytherin sauntered into the library with a girl Harry didn't recognise.

            "Malfoy," Harry said to the others. "Let's get out of here."

            Ron and Hermione agreed promptly and started to gather their belongings. Before they were finished, however, they noticed Malfoy and the girl meander up towards them.

            "Get lost, Malfoy," Harry snapped, collecting the last of his things. He threw his bag over his shoulder and made to leave, but Malfoy stopped him with a firm hand on Harry's arm.

            "Let go," Harry said with bared teeth.

            "What do you want, ferret?" Ron asked.

            Malfoy flushed briefly, but otherwise seemed undaunted. "And here I thought you were completely enamoured with me, Potter."

            "And why would I be enamoured with you, ferret?" Harry asked, mimicking Ron's nickname for Malfoy.

            "Well, you have chosen every one of my classes. I never knew you desired so badly to be close to me." The girl with Malfoy smirked.

            "Well, Malfoy, there were no other classes left. I guess your name causes all to run and hide."

            "Whatever," Malfoy drawled.

            Harry looked at the girl who was with Malfoy for the first time. Harry assumed that this must be Glory Vexten.

            Malfoy too, turned to the girl. "I forgot my manners in all the excitement. Glory, this is Potty, Weasel and the Mudblood," said Malfoy, pointing to Harry, Ron and Hermione in turn.

            "Where are your cronies, Malfoy?" Ron scorned. "Holding each others hand in the bathroom?"

            "Wouldn't you like to know? Maybe you'd like to join them," Malfoy countered. 

            "Come on, let's go," Hermione said to Ron and Harry.

            "Or not," Glory Vexten said, stepping in front of Hermione. Vexten was relatively tall, around 5'10", with wavy blond hair, and a serious attitude. She was staring down at Hermione's 5'5" form with extreme distaste. Malfoy chuckled in the background, eagerly anticipating the outcome.

            Vexten ran a finger down Hermione's cheek. "Draco's told me all about you, little Mudblood. The biggest know-it-all in Hogwarts." Vexten leaned about as close to Hermione's face as she could without kissing her. Hermione held her ground. "We'll have to see what we can to do to _remedy_ the situation." 

            Ron and Harry had already had enough. They got out their wands and pointed them at Vexten. "Leave her alone," Ron said loudly. Madam Pince jerked her head towards the noise.

            Malfoy flinched slightly and reached for his wand, but Vexten merely laughed. "Careful, Weasel. You don't want to get into trouble by the librarian for fighting do you?" 

            "Leave – her – alone," Ron repeated, sounding out each syllable.

            "Ron, stop it," Hermione said.

            Vexten was quick. With a swift movement of her right arm, she knocked the wands out of both Ron and Harry's hands, and the wands went flying, completely out of reach.

            "And just who are you, without your wands?" Vexten said with disdain. "Do you really think you can take me?"

            "After Voldemort, you're easy," Harry declared. Both Ron and Malfoy gasped at that name, Hermione flinched a little, but Vexten smiled broadly.

            "Voldemort's not here, though, is he?" Vexten said Voldemort's name without the slightest worry. "Though I must admit, you have given him a good running away from a couple of times," Vexten said scornfully. "You have never truly faced Voldemort, Potter. Let's see now. You were lucky when you foolishly went after the Philosopher's Stone. You nearly handed the stone to the Dark Lord on a platter. Pity that failed. You may have stopped Voldemort's memory from becoming solid, but it doesn't take superior ability to pierce a book with a basilisk tooth. Anyone could do it. You personally restored Voldemort back to health just over a year ago. Well done. And the way you ran back home afterwards was simply superb. Hiding behind the statue at the ministry while Dumbledore and Voldemort dueled? That was a brilliant piece of work. Most courageous. You were good against the basilisk and the dragon, I must admit, but they're not Voldemort, not by any stretch."

            Harry was getting angrier and angrier throughout Vexten's diatribe. How dare she ridicule everything Harry did? And she accused Harry of restoring Voldemort to health.

            "You've escaped Voldemort, Potter. You've never truly fought him. Believe me, there's a difference. And I'm not particularly afraid of anyone who earns themselves a reputation by cowardly running away from battle." Vexten grabbed Hermione by the head and kissed her full on the lips with Hermione unsuccessfully trying to fight back. Ron pounced on Vexten, but she kneed him in the groin easily. He fell to the ground in pain, clutching his groin.  "I'll see you around, Potter. And if the Dark Lord ever needs any favours, I'll be sure to ask you first." With that, Vexten threw Hermione to the ground and walked out, Malfoy following behind laughing.

            Hermione started spluttering. She wiped her mouth with her hands, trying to wash away the residue of Vexten's kiss.

            "Water!" she cried. Both Harry and Ron were staring at her, completely astounded by Vexten's audacity. Ron was still on the ground, clutching his groin. "Water!" she cried again. Eventually, Harry came to his senses and ran to the water fountain in the corner of the library to retrieve a goblet of water. Hermione took the water, gargled, and then spat it out onto the floor.

            "Eww!" Hermione said after she had done this a few times.

            "She won't get away with that, Hermione," Ron declared and Harry added his agreement.

            After they had calmed down, a desolate Harry retrieved his and Ron's wand, and then helped Ron and Hermione to their feet. Ron gingerly sat down on a nearby seat where they had been working before Malfoy and Vexten's intrusion

            "I think we just met the new girl," Harry said, nonchalantly. 

            "Ignore her, Harry," Hermione said, after gargling and spitting out another mouthful of water. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."

            "But she did know," said Harry.

            "Harry-"

            "How did she know about the Philosopher's stone, or the basilisk, or what happened at the ministry?" Harry demanded

            "I don't know," Hermione admitted. Ron shook his head, indicating he didn't know either.

            "One thing's for sure," said Ron. "She's definitely a Slytherin."

            "Not just a Slytherin. I'd bet everything I have that she's got a skull with a tongue protruding from its mouth tattooed to her left forearm," Harry added.

            Ron agreed, but Hermione protested. "We don't really know for sure –" although with the incredulous looks she received from both Ron and Harry, she had to concede the point.

            "We'd just better stay away from her," said Hermione.

            "Which will be pretty hard, considering she's in every one of our classes," reminded Harry.

            "Just ignore her," repeated Hermione. "Come on, we've got work to do." She looked down at her mess on the floor. "I'd better this clean up before Madam Pince sees."

            Feeling it was safe now that Malfoy and Vexten had left; the three of them unpacked their belongings in order to return to their search for the book called 'The Ancient House of Carvin'. But before they got very far, Hermione exclaimed, "That little bitch stole my wand!"

**************************

**Please R&R**


	3. The New Potions Professor

Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters or settings in this story. The honour belongs solely to JK Rowling. I suspect that I do not even own half of the plot, as this has been influenced by the numerous fanfics I've read. 

**Chapter 3: The New Potions Professor**

Quidditch tryouts are scheduled for Friday 10th of September at 4.00pm. The current team is as follows: Seeker: Harry Potter Keeper: Ronald Weasley Beater: Andrew Kirke Beater: Jack Sloper Chaser: Katie Bell Chaser: ? Chaser: ? If you are interested in trying out for any of the available positions, Or any reserve position, Please sign your name in the space provided below. Thankyou, Harry Potter (Captain) 

            Very early on Monday morning, Harry had just completed writing out the notice for Quidditch tryouts and was pinning it to the message board before breakfast. They had spent most of the last few days searching for 'The Ancient Book of Carvin' in the History section of the library, and apart from some minor references to the family which contained no detail of who they were at all, they had very little success. Now that classes were beginning, their time was limited to breaks between classes or at night to continue their research.

            "Quidditch tryouts, next Friday," Ron said suddenly from behind him, making Harry jump and pinning his own thumb to the board. He had thought he was the only person in the room.

            "Ow!" Harry exclaimed. He tenderly removed the pin and immediately started sucking his thumb to stop the bleeding.

            "Sorry, mate," Ron said, on the verge of laughter.

            "It's alright. I didn't hear anyone come in," Harry smiled.

            "What are you doing up so early, anyway?" Ron asked

            "First day of classes. Couldn't sleep. You?"

            "Heard you get up."

            "We've still got an hour before we have to start getting ready. Do you want to hit the Quidditch field?" asked Harry.

            "Sure."

            An hour and a half later, Ron and Harry were with Hermione in the Great Hall for breakfast.

            "And it all starts here," Harry said. "Care of Magical Creatures with Vexten, Charms with Malfoy, Potions with Malfoy." Harry sighed, leaning back on his chair. Ron let his head fall into his hands in an expression of exasperation.

            Just then, Malfoy and Vexten, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, entered the hall. They strolled casually to their seats. Vexten took her seat, but not before giving them a condescending wave.

            "She'll get hers," Hermione threatened, looking murderous.

            "Hermione!" Harry said, amused. Hermione was normally the rational one; she rarely ever made threats.

            "She kissed me! And she stole my wand! How am I supposed to go to class without a wand?"

            "We've got Care of Magical Creatures first; you don't need a wand for that. Vexten's in that class. We'll get it back then," Harry said.

            "That's if she's got it with her. She's probably hexed it," said Hermione. She glared at Vexten all the way through breakfast, while making plans with Ron for her revenge. 

            "Maybe put a dung bomb in her bag?" Ron suggested.

            "Suspend her from the South tower," Hermione countered.

            "Force a dozen Skiving Snack Boxes down her throat. It'd give her a haemorrhage."

            "Trap her in the Weeping Willow."

            "Nah, we'd get expelled ..."

            "It would be worth it!" Hermione insisted.

            Harry was glad when breakfast had finished actually, it was starting to get on his nerves.

            On the way to Hagrid's hut, they saw Vexten strolling along not far in front of them, Hermione dashed ahead to catch up with her. Fearing danger, Ron and Harry followed.

            "I want my wand back!" Hermione demanded

            Vexten took out Hermione's wand from inside her robe. "What this?" she asked.

            Hermione blinked. She clearly didn't expect it to be so easy to get Vexten to admit she had it. She held out her hand. "I want it."

            Vexten smiled, said, "No," and walked off.

            Hermione reached out and clutched Vexten's arm.

            "Let got of me, Mudblood," Vexten said, throwing Hermione to the ground. Despite the violence, Harry could see that Vexten was amused.

            Hermione got back to her feet. "If you don't give me my wand, I'll tell Professor McGonagall!"

            Vexten just laughed. "I'm shaking now, Mudblood."

            "Just give back the wand and there'll be no problem," Harry said trying to be diplomatic.

            Vexten turned to Harry. "You didn't say the magic word," Vexten taunted with a malicious gleam in her eye.

            Harry sighed. "Please," he said without emotion.

            "Not good enough," Vexten said, and with a mighty heave, she threw the wand a hundred yards into the lake, and strolled off towards class.

            Hermione was really looking murderous now. She stamped her foot, and looked like she was going to say something several times, but she was so angry nothing would come out.

            "So that's how you shut her up," Ron joked, trying to calm down the situation.

            It had the opposite effect. Hermione turned to Ron with murderous eyes. "How the hell am I going to get my wand now? I'm not going in there!"

            "There's no time now. I'll get it out after class, ok?" Harry said.

            Ron and Harry led a very distraught Hermione to their Care of Magical Creatures class. Once there, they saw that the class was made up of mostly Gryffindors, with a few Ravenclaws, and a couple of Hufflepuffs. Vexten was the only Slytherin. Hagrid had that large crate with the spider like creatures inside which Harry saw the other day, and Ron promptly stepped behind Harry.

            As Hagrid opened the lid of the crate, a putrid stench filled the air.

            "Eww!" several of the class said, holding their noses, while others were becoming dizzy. Susan Bones had to hold onto a nearby bench to stay upright. Almost as one, almost every student in the class stepped back a couple of paces, except Vexten, who stepped closer. 

            Hagrid seemed oblivious to his class's distress, and the smell. "I 'ave another fasinatin' creature to show yer!" he declared happily.

            "Areeknoids!" Vexten said, stepping even closer to the crate.

            "I knew she was insane," Ron mumbled to Hermione, in an effort to cheer her up. Hermione was looking daggers at Vexten, as if to say, 'How dare she show in interest in Hagrid's class. She's a Slytherin'.

            "Tha's right, Miss Vexten. Can anyone tell me anythin' about' Areeknoids?"

            Hermione, as usual shot her hand up.

            "Hermione?" Hagrid asked.

            "They are spider like creatures with 8 legs, and a scorpion's tail. They let off a putrid stench when angry or scared. Their tail can paralyse victims in a heartbeat," Hermione said, giving her usual text book answer.

            "Very good, Hermione. Five points ter Gryffindor," Hagrid said, cheerfully. "Anyone else?"

            Hermione looked smugly towards Vexten, who simply smirked and rolled her eyes skywards. "The paralysis is only temporary, and can last anywhere between a couple of minutes and a few hours, depending on the amount of poison injected and the state of health of the victim. There are a few different breeds of Areeknoids, with varying levels of danger associated with them. After the females have laid their eggs, the male kills the female and uses her as nourishment for the Areeklings when they hatch, which takes about two weeks. A typical sack can contain a few hundred eggs, but only a dozen or so survive because the male will only allow the strongest Areeklings to live and will eat the rest. Their poison makes an excellent Vomit Inducing Brew once tapered down to a non-lethal concoction," Vexten said, glancing over at Hermione and sarcastically mimicking Hermione's expression of smugness. "And they make excellent pets," Vexten added.

            Hermione looked shocked at Vexten's answer, as did Hagrid. In fact, it looked like Hagrid didn't even know some of what Vexten did about Areeknoids.

            "Um, well, ten points to Slytherin," Hagrid said, coughing. "Do you own any Areeknoids, Miss Vexten?" 

            "I have a collection of thirty, from Scottish Flowarts to Chinese Black Deaths."

            "Ever been bitten'?" Hagrid asked. 

            Vexten nodded. "I was paralysed for over a day with a Chinese BlackDeath. If it wasn't for the anti-venom I keep on hand, I would have died," Vexten laughed, as if being almost killed by a Chinese Black Death was the most pleasurable thing in the world.

            Hagrid looked impressed, and beamed at Vexten. It wasn't often that anyone was so enthusiastic of the creatures he brought to class. "Would yer like to come and hold one?" Hagrid asked Vexten, and she readily nodded her head.

            "All righ' then," Hagrid said, and reached in to gently grab one of the Areeknoids and handed it to Vexten. She casually placed it over her shoulder, and the Areeknoid started swiping its scorpion's tail against her cheek, unfortunately in Harry's opinion, not hard enough to penetrate the skin to eject the poison.

            "This is a Western Spine Crest. One of the least dangerous Areeknoids as their tail is small and doesn't inject much poison, and since these are only babies the poison is only enough to make a person dizzy," Vexten continued impressing Hagrid.

            Hermione, not to be outdone, stepped forward and said, "I'll hold one too, Hagrid." 

            Hagrid picked up another Areeknoid and handed it to Hermione. When she grabbed hold of it, it immediately pierced her skin. She shrieked and dropped it.

            "I need to sit," Hermione said, and plopped down on the ground. The Areeknoid scampered away to places unknown.

            "Hermione!" Hagrid exclaimed and reached for a bottle of potion underneath the table he was working from. "Here, take this," he said.

            Hermione took the potion and immediately began to feel better. She gave Hagrid an apologetic smile. She got up, determined to give it another try. Wearily, Hagrid got another Areeknoid and tenderly placed it on Hermione's shoulder. 

            "They like it on yer shoulder, near yer face, at first. It helps them to trust yer more," Hagrid explained.

            Hermione stood stock still, doing what she could to not aggravate the Areeknoid into stinging.

            "How's it goin' Hermione?" Hagrid asked.

            "Fine," Hermione responded with clenched teeth.

            Since they knew that the Areeknoids couldn't hurt them too badly, more students decided to game holding them. Hagrid's potion bottle was getting used up quickly, and after Neville's third sting, Hagrid had to retrieve another antidote from his hut. To Harry, Ron and Hermione's disgust, Vexten hadn't received one bite. Ron refused to touch them.

            When it was time to pack up, Ron felt a wriggling sensation under his robes. He lifted up his robe and screamed. The Areeknoid that had scampered away after Hermione had dropped it had found its way into Ron's robes. The Areeknoid started crawling over Ron's legs, up his stomach and chest, to stop right next to his face. It started tapping Ron on his cheek with its tail.

            Ron looked panic stricken. "Get this thing off of me!" he demanded.

            Vexten was almost doubled up with laughter. "I'll do it, Professor Hagrid," she said, calming herself down.

            "No, not her," Ron said in horror.

            "Yer'll be right, Ron. It won't hurt yer," Hagrid said soothingly.

            Vexten took her time strolling over to Ron, taking in every moment of Ron's distress with glee. Eventually, she took the Areeknoid away, and placed it in the crate with the others. It immediately crawled out and rushed directly to Ron. Ron, seeing it come after him, sprinted straight to the Hogwarts front doors (with Vexten laughingly calling out in the background, "He likes you, Weasley!") and slammed them closed behind him. With his mind's eye, Harry could see Ron sprinting all the way to Gryffindor tower.

            "We'd better go and see if he's alright," Harry said to Hermione.

            Hermione nodded but then exclaimed, "My wand!"

            In all the excitement, Harry had forgotten about that. They both went to the lake and Harry pulled out his wand and said, "Accio!" A mess of green sludge came whirling out towards them, landing on Hermione's chest. The sludge splattered over Hermione's robe. 

            "I'm going to get her for this!" Hermione declared. Then she cleaned herself and her wand up with the 'Scourgify' spell, and stomped angrily to her next class.

            Harry arrived at Charms five minutes later, faced with a gang of Slytherins, who, through Vexten, and already heard about Ron's ordeal. Ron hadn't turned up yet.

            "Where's the Weasel, Potter?" Malfoy asked haughtily. 

            Harry ignored them, and waited for Ron to arrive. Hermione wasn't in this class, because she had been smart enough to fill in her schedule early so she wasn't stuck with the Slytherins. When Ron eventually did arrive, the Slytherins were about to begin their tirade when Flitwick opened the door, indicating to them to come in. The Slytherins had to content themselves by sniggering at Ron throughout the lesson. 

            The first Charms class with Flitwick was just revision from their O.W.L year. Harry and Ron had seated themselves close to the door for an immediate exit when the class ended so as to not give the Slytherins a chance to mock.

            Harry and Ron were relieved when the bell rang for lunch. They met up with a much happier Hermione in the Great Hall.

            "What happened?" Harry asked her.

            Hermione looked startled for a second and said, "Oh, I just received my first homework assignment for Professor Sprout, look."

            "Only you could get excited about homework, Hermione," Ron said, and they all cheered up. They went on to happier topics and actually managed to successfully ignore the demonstrations that were going on at the Slytherin table, much to the annoyance of the Slytherins.

            "It's good that we don't have homework yet, though, isn't it," Ron said to Harry. "Last year they were already piling it on."

            Harry agreed, but Ginny was glaring at Ron from across the table.

            "Speak for yourself, Ron. I've got piles of homework already and the day's only half over!" she complained.

            Harry remembered that Ginny was studying for her O.W.Ls this year and he could sympathise with her. "It'll get better, Ginny. I promise."

            "Harry, don't lie to the poor girl like that!" Ron exclaimed in a friendly manner. "O.W.Ls is hell, Ginny, hell I tell you! It never lets up!"

            "Oh, shut up Ron!" Ginny said and exasperatedly returned to her lunch, trying unsuccessfully to ignore a laughing Ron.

            "What class do we have next?" Ron asked Harry when he had calmed down.

            Harry looked at his schedule. "Potions."

            "I get a break then," Ron said. "I'm not taking Potions."

            Harry felt a twinge of guilt. The only reason why he was taking Potions was because Dumbledore gave him a second change to get a higher grade. Ron had received an 'A' as well.

            "It was lucky really," Ron went on. "I don't have to put up with the Slytherins in Potions as well."

            Harry was looking at his schedule. "Hermione, you've got Potions now as well? Why?"

            Hermione rolled her eyes. "Is it my fault that the Slytherins decided to sign up for this class after me? Thank Merlin it's the only one though."

            So Harry and Hermione went to the Potions classroom, which was still situated in the dungeons, while Ron got in some flying, to which Hermione had earlier responded, "Ron, you've spent every spare moment on that broom, you should be studying!"

            Harry and Hermione arrived early, but the door, which Snape usually had closed until the last moment, was wide open, so they both entered the classroom and looked for seats at the very back. They were hoping to avoid being noticed by the Slytherins when they came. They saw Professor Morgan at the front of the class, arranging the ingredients needed for the class, completely oblivious to Harry and Hermione's presence. Eventually, the Slytherins rolled in. Harry's hope that they would remain unnoticed in their seating position proved to be short lived, however, because as soon as Malfoy walked in, he swept the room with his eyes, spotted Harry, and said, "Where's the Weasel, Potter, playing with his new friend?"

            "Rack off, ferret," Harry said shortly. He was about to get his cauldron ready when he was surprised with the sight of Crabbe and Goyle entering the class. Surely they had not received an 'E' in their O.W.L?

            "Settle down, class," a voice said from the front of the room. Malfoy took the seat directly in front of Harry. Harry flexed his fingers, wishing desperately that he could use them to wring Malfoy's neck from behind.

            "Please open your text to page 1,254, the section on Ingredient Combinations. You will not need your cauldrons as today's lesson is theoretical," Morgan said to the collective astonishment of the class. They had never had a completely theoretical Potions class before, and visions of Umbridge flashed in front of Harry's eyes.

            "Professor? How come we are not brewing anything today?" Malfoy asked with his arm in the air.

            Professor Morgan flashed them all a smile. "Don't worry; I will not be keeping you away from the cauldrons for long. Normally, I would not hit you so quickly with the theory, but Professor Snape has you all at such a high standard that I feel there is no need to wait."

            Professor Morgan paced the front of the class, her hands entwined behind her back. "I will briefly explain the structure of the Advanced Potion class. Over the next two years you will be studying this class with the expectation of obtaining your N.E.W.Ts. The O.W.Ls tested your brewing ability and your understanding of a variety of different potions and what they can do. But simply brewing a potion can be done by memorising the steps, and doesn't necessarily require any knowledge of how each step works together to produce the desired result. The N.E.W.Ts go beyond that. The N.E.W.Ts will test your ability to not just brew potions, but to develop your own, and that will take a much greater understanding. You will also learn how to fix a potion that has gone wrong."

            The class looked at each other. They were going to design their own potions? 

            "The first potion I will be getting you to design is the Confunded Potion, which as the name suggests leaves the drinker in a confused state. There are many Confunded Potions out there which you may look at if you wish, but if you simply copy that potion I will know about it immediately, and you will receive zero marks. If you create your own design from start to finish, clearly argue and back up the methods you used and clearly have an understanding of what the ingredients are supposed to do, yet the potion fails, I will award you high marks. Getting the potion to work is important, but understanding what you are doing is more important. The reason why your potion fails could be something small. We will also be studying strategies you can use to get a working potion when your potion fails.

            "This year, you will be designing simple potions, ones already in existence, to develop your potions design and research ability. In your seventh year, you will be required to work on something completely unique, something that has never been done before.

            "Right now, we will be concentrating on your knowledge of ingredients, and how they interact with each other, before we start on the Confunded Potion. Any questions?"

            No-one spoke. They were all looking at each other, many with fear with the thought of what they must accomplish. But Hermione's eyes were bright with excitement. Harry could virtually see what was going in her mind. She was already deciding what potion she would brew in her seventh year and was systematically working out the steps with which to achieve it. 

            "Good. Please read the sections outlined. We will discuss what you have read in thirty minutes."

            The class sighed but did what they were told. Harry was having difficulty focusing on the task at hand due to Malfoy noiselessly banishing bits of parchment towards Harry's face at frequent intervals. Eventually, Harry put a repellent charm on his face, causing the bits of parchment to fly back to Malfoy's head. In response, Malfoy banished a slug with a piercing hex on it to penetrate Harry's repellent charm and the slug somehow managed to infiltrate Harry's glasses and it landed squarely in his eye.

            "Eww!" Harry said a little too loudly, grabbing the slug and throwing it to the ground.

            "Is something the matter, Mr Potter?" Professor Morgan asked from behind her desk.

            "No, Professor," Harry said, wiping his eye.

            "He was throwing bits of parchment at me, Professor," Malfoy piped up.

            "No I wasn't! Malfoy -" Harry tried to protest, but Professor Morgan shushed him. She walked towards Harry at the back of the class. Harry quickly vanished all the bits of parchment that had accumulated around his seat before Morgan could see it. Unfortunately he missed one, and Morgan picked it up.

            She lifted her eyebrows in a questioning manner. Harry shrugged as if to say he didn't know how it got there, but Morgan wasn't convinced by his pathetic display of feigned innocence. 

            "Five points from Gryffindor, Mr Potter. Please read the text," Professor Morgan said and returned to her seat. 

            "But-" Harry started.

            "Read the text," Morgan said more firmly.

            Harry started to read the sections, trying to ignore the low sniggers coming from the Slytherins.

            Ten minutes later, Professor Morgan stopped the class.

            "Now that you have read the required sections in the book, could anyone tell me what the effect is of adding porcupine quills into a mixture containing Grashauk?"

            Hermione's hand went immediately into the air.

            "Yes, Miss Granger?"

            "Porcupine quills acts as a stabiliser to many heat emitting potions such as Grashauk, thus cooling the mixture down for the next stage," Hermione answered

            "Five points to Gryffindor. And when would this be desirable?"

            Hermione's hand shot back up into the air. "Someone else this time, Mr Goyle?"

            Goyle looked like a kangaroo caught in headlights. He shrugged.

            "Your best guess will do fine," Morgan said.

            "Er- after adding Redfin?" Goyle answered uncertainly. Hermione started shaking her head, her hand still in the air.

            "Very good, Mr Goyle, five points to Slytherin. However - "

            Professor Morgan was just about to continue when she was cut of from Hermione. "Please, Professor, that's not true. Adding Porcupine Quills to a cauldron containing Redfin will cause a noxious gas to emit – "

            "Five points from Gryffindor for your impertinence, Miss Granger."

            Hermione gaped at Professor Morgan, hand still half in the air, but she said nothing else.

            "If I could finish what I was about to say," Professor Morgan looked pointedly at Hermione, "Redfin will indeed act as a destructive catalyst for Porcupine Quills and is not desirable to mix them both together. However, Redfin, when added to any mixture containing Grashauk, will cause the potion to overheat unless a suitable stabiliser is added. Porcupine Quills, in theory, would cool the potion down, stabilising it, except for that side effect. I awarded Mr Goyle points for a reasonable effort in answering my question logically and thoughtfully, not because the answer was correct. I expect students to leave this class with a clear understanding of the topic, not enter the class with it. Alright, Miss Granger?" Professor Morgan looked at Hermione with a raised eyebrow.

            Hermione finally lowered her hand and nodded.

            "What other, more suitable stabiliser could be added to a potion containing Redfin and Gashauk?"

            Emboldened, a few people raised their hands this time, but Hermione kept hers down. Professor Morgan, true to her word, awarded points for effort. When a student made a reasonable effort but answered wrongly, she still awarded the points but explained the problems inherit in their answer. Pretty soon, Hermione got over the shock of her chastisement earlier and started participating. Even Harry answered a few questions, and by the end of the class he had earned Gryffindor 15 house points, which when added to Hermione's 35 points, more than made up for their loss of ten points at the start of the lesson. The idea that Gryffindor could be up 40 points after a Potions lesson was unheard of, and the fact that Harry contributed to the fact would have sent many into heart palpitations just a few months ago.

            On their way back to the common room, Harry and Hermione had to concede that that was their best Potion lesson ever, despite Hermione's brief reprimand. They met a wind-blown Ron, who had obviously just come back from his solo Quidditch practise, sitting on a lounge chair by the fire and they told him all about the lesson.

            "She had to start teaching now, didn't she?" Ron said. "I might have been in that class."

            Harry again felt that twinge of guilt. He shouldn't have been in that class either.

            "Just think," Hermione said to Ron, amusement flooding her eyes, "This time tomorrow, you can tell me all about your Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Snape."

            Both Ron and Harry groaned.

**************************

**Please R&R**


	4. Snape: Defense Against the Dark Arts Pro...

Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters or settings in this story. The honour belongs solely to JK Rowling. I suspect that I do not even own half of the plot, as this has been influenced by the numerous fanfics I've read. 

**Chapter 4: Snape: Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor**

            Harry stayed in bed for longer than it was probably prudent the next morning. He was dreading going to his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Even last year, when he had Umbridge, he at least he found some redeeming features of the class, like when he had been rebelling against her by running an illegal Defense Club. But this year he had his least favourite teacher for his favourite class and he was afraid that Snape would destroy all the enjoyment he felt for the subject with all his glares and sneers and condescending words. Not to mention that he and Ron were the only non-Slytherins in the group. It was going to be pure hell.

            Harry turned to his side and saw that Ron must have been feeling the same way, as he was rigidly lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling himself. Dean, Seamus and Neville had already left for breakfast.

            "What do you reckon?" Harry eventually asked, breaking the silence.

            "I think I want to go back to sleep for the next two years. Wake me up then," Ron said, closing his eyes and pulling his blankets up over his head.

            "We should really get up," said Harry, not moving.

            "No."

            Harry laughed. "Come on, it won't be that bad. We've had Snape for the last five years and managed to survive."

            Ron pulled the blankets off and sat up. "That was for Potions, and we had the rest of the Gryffindors for support. This is Defense Against the Dark Arts. With just Snape and the Slytherins!" Ron laid down again and hid back under the blankets.

            "Well, I'm getting up," Harry declared, finally getting out of bed. "Besides, breakfast will be over soon."

            With those words, Ron quickly got up and dressed, ready for breakfast. Harry knew how much Ron loved his stomach.

            Half an hour later, Harry and Ron, completely breakfasted on cereals and toast (the bacon, eggs and sausages were already gone), were sitting in their first class of the day, which was Transfiguration. This wasn't as bad because they knew that Malfoy couldn't get away with anything in McGonagall's class. Besides, it delayed the inevitable.

            "This year we will be concentrating on making inanimate object move," said McGonagall from the front of the room. "We will begin by practising with the toy spiders you have on the desk in front of you."

            Ron looked at his spider with extreme distaste. "We have to actually _make_ its legs move?" Ron mumbled incredulously to Harry.

            Smiling, Harry shrugged and tried the spell that McGonagall had described on the board. The spider shuddered a little before collapsing on the table.

            "We need Hermione," Harry said, poking his lifeless spider with his wand. 

            "Are spiders some kind of theme at Hogwarts this year? First Hagrid, now McGonagall," Ron complained, picking up his wand.

            Just then, a spider raced across Ron's desk. Ron jumped back, screaming. Vexten came walking up to them with a malicious grin on her face.

            "I'm so sorry, Weasley. My spider got away from me," she said, grabbing her spider and returning to her seat at the front of the class. The Slytherins laughed. 

            "That's enough, class. Return to your work at once," McGonagall said curtly, though she too was trying very hard not to smile.

            "Are we going back to the library tonight, to find anything on the Carvins?" Ron asked when McGonagall had returned to the front of the class.

            Harry nodded. "Hermione's going to see if she can get a pass to the restricted section. There might be a reference there."

            "How does she intend to get a pass?" Ron asked.

            "Well, she's Professor Vector's favourite student. She's going to say she wants to know how Arithmency has been used to stop or start ancient wars for her major project. She says she's exhausted all the sources in the main library and apparently there are some good resources in the restricted section."

            "When did she tell you this and how come she never told me?" Ron asked, sulking.

            "She told me last night. You were on the Quidditch field, again," Harry replied.

            "Well, I have to keep in practise. We've kept the Slytherins from the cup for three years. We have a reputation to maintain," Ron said, and Harry nodded in agreement.

            The class did not last long enough. All too soon, McGonagall was walking around the room, checking everybody's progress. Harry had managed to make his spider walk in a very robotic fashion across his desk, but Ron couldn't get his to move at all.

            "Homework, Mr Weasley," Professor McGonagall said. "I want to see some improvement by next lesson."

            "You don't want it to move, that's the problem," Harry explained later as they were walking down to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class which had now changed and was in the dungeons. Harry presumed that this was because the dungeons were Snape's sanctuary, and he could more easily intimidate his students there.

            "I know," Ron said. "If she'd let me try it with something else I might be able to do it. But deliberately making all those legs move, it's just not natural."

            Before long, Harry found himself sitting in the back seat of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, with Snape looking perfectly at home at the front of the class behind his desk, glaring at Harry with all the loathing that he usually reserved just for him. 

            "Your education in Defense Against the Dark Arts has been sporadic and incomplete. You have studied dark creatures, the unforgivable curses and theoretical exercises last year, but you are not nearly as advanced as you should be."

            Harry glanced at Ron as Snape said this, and rolled his eyes. Both Harry and Ron had received 'O's' for their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L, so they couldn't be that far behind.

            Snape continued. "As part of your grade, I will expect each of you to choose a unique year long topic, to be approved by me. You may look at the suggestions I have on this list at the end of the lesson, or choose your own," he said, holding up a short piece of parchment. "No two people can choose the same topic."

            As Snape said this, he glared at Harry malevolently. Harry knew immediately by Snape's look that it would be very difficult for him to find a topic that Snape would deem appropriate, even if it was on that list.

            "We will also concentrate a large portion of this year in defending oneself against dark wizards or witches. That means duelling."

            Almost as one, the class brightened at this news. Apart from a very brief exercise in duelling with the incompetent Lockhart in their second year, they had not formally learnt any duelling.

            "Today, I will give a demonstration on duelling. I will need a volunteer. Mr Potter?" Snape said, smirking at Harry, eyes full of mirth.

            All eyes were on Harry, and they were not friendly eyes. They were eyes full of anticipation, wondering what Snape was going to do to Harry this time and hoping it was something horrible.

            Ron shook his head. "Don't do it, Harry," he mumbled urgently under his breath.

            Taking a large breath, Harry replied quietly, "It'll be alright. He can't hurt me, he'd be in trouble with Dumbledore if he did."

            Harry knew there was no point in refusing, so he slowly got to his feet and approached the front of the room, trying to ignore the sniggering Slytherins. He stood face to face with Snape.

            Snape inclined his head towards Harry and Harry did the same, not taking his eyes off Snape.

            "On the count of three, Potter. Mr Malfoy, if you will do the honours?" Snape said.

            "Yes, sir," Malfoy replied. 

            Malfoy was almost laughing as he counted to three. Harry was determined not to be humiliated in front of the Slytherins, so he mentally recalled every hex he knew of and had his wand at the ready, prepared to strike as soon as Malfoy reached three.

            "Three," Malfoy said, and immediately Harry shouted '_Impedimenta!_' as soon as he saw Snape reach out his wand arm.

            Snape staggered back a few paces, clearly surprised at the quick attack. He rapidly let loose a quick succession of hexes. Harry managed to block and dodge the first couple, (one of which smashed a statue of a gargoyle behind him) but then staggered with the force of a displacement hex. Harry was on his knees, but still managed to cast a _'Recolitus'_ hex, so that Snape's '_Soaritam_' rebounded and caused him to fly backwards about six feet in the air. Harry stood up, wand out, and was ready to continue. The Slytherins gasped and Ron cheered. The expression on Snape's face as he rose was deadly. Even the Slytherins cringed back in fear. Snape's next onslaught was impenetrable. Harry fought back as well as he could, and managed to get in a '_Stupify'_ which Snape easily deflected, hitting a cheering Malfoy, but pretty soon, Harry was on the ground, covered in boils, rashes, and with a putrid thick brown ooze leaking out of him in strange places.

            Snape ignored Harry momentarily to tend to Malfoy who was lying comatose on the ground due to Harry's deflected '_Stupify'_, with a distressed Pansy Parkinson clutching onto him. He cast the counter spell and helped Malfoy into his chair. 

            Next, Snape strolled up to Harry who was on the ground struggling to breath, and patronizingly said, "That was pathetic, Potter. Had you been facing a dark wizard, you would have been killed after the second hex."

            Snape had an expression on his face that said he had finally accomplished something he had longed to do. He went to his desk and retrieved several potions. He returned to Harry, performed a few counter spells, gave Harry the potions, and eventually all the boils and rashes were gone, although occasionally some of the ooze would still leak out of his ears, something Harry was pretty sure Snape deliberately forgot to fix.

            Harry angrily returned to his seat feeling sore all over. No student could have come close to fighting back that assault. He was sure he would be black and blue all over by that night, despite (or because of) Snape's potions. He gingerly sat down holding his head and waited for Snape to continue.

            "Everyone get into pairs. I want you all to practise shielding and disarming spells. Mr. Malfoy, you're with me," Snape said, and with a flick of his wand, he forced all the tables and chairs to the side of the room, giving everyone plenty of space to practise. Ron and Harry rushed to the back of the class to practise, even though they were already very advanced at these spells due to their work in the DA. Since Harry was still reeling from Snape's onslaught, Ron took it easy on him.

            From this position of the room, Harry could see everyone. The first thing he noticed was that Snape was not pressing Malfoy at all and even allowed a '_Stupefy_' to force him to the ground.

            "Very good, Mr Malfoy, five points to Slytherin. Continue with Crabbe and Goyle while I go around the room."

            Snape studied the pairs of Slytherins and managed to find reasons to award points to them all, even when Goyle failed to produce a proper disarming spell. "Five points, Mr Goyle, you are improving." Although Harry was sure he detected a brief disapproving sigh and a shake of the head from Snape when he had turned his back on Goyle.

            Eventually, Snape reached Ron and Harry, and Ron produced a perfect stunning hex, leaving Harry paralysed on the ground. The only thing moving on Harry's body was a small amount of brown ooze which was still coming out of his right ear. Not finding anything condescending to say, Snape sneered and continued on complementing his Slytherins.

            After about an hour, Snape called a halt, returned the tables and chairs to their original position, and told everyone to return to their seats.

            "For homework I want a three foot essay containing every hex you can find, a description of the hex and the counter hex. This will be handed in next lesson, where we will continue practising them in pairs."

            It was a subdued Ron and Harry who left the class an hour later. 

            "What are we going to do about this?" Ron asked. "It's going to be like this all year."

            "I know," Harry said, wiping some more ooze out of his ears, although it seemed to be slowing down. "We're going to start up the DA as soon as possible."

            Determined to do something about Snape's lessons, Harry marched straight to McGonagall's office. Full of boldness, he knocked roughly on McGonagall's door; at least, that was his intention. Before his hand reached the door however, it swung open, and Professor Morgan stood in its place.

            "Ow! She cried, clutching her eye.

            "Professor!" Harry exclaimed. "I'm sorry!"

            "It's quite alright, Harry," she said, rubbing her eye. "Bruises heal. You're here to see Professor McGonagall?"

            Harry nodded, and she opened the door wider for him to pass. She left the office and strolled along the corridor and down the stairs in the direction of the dungeons.

            "If you're quite finished assaulting the staff members, Mr Potter," McGonagall said, sitting behind her desk.

            "I'm sorry. I didn't mean …" Harry started, still standing in the doorway.

            McGonagall chortled. "I know. What did you want to see me about?"

            Harry entered the office properly and closed the door behind him. "I was wondering if it would be alright to start up the DA?" Harry asked.

            McGonagall looked thoughtful. "That might be a good idea. I would have to clear it with Professor Dumbledore first, but I don't see a problem with that. I will try to get you the History of Magic classroom on weekends. That should be big enough."

            Harry smiled. "Thanks, Professor."

            McGonagall inclined her head briefly in response. Just as Harry was about to leave, she said, "There is something I need to see you about too, Mr Potter."

            "Yes, Professor," Harry said quizzically.

            "Professor Dumbledore wants you to resume your Occlumency lessons."

            Harry looked horrified. Defense Against the Darks Arts with Snape was enough. He did not want to continue Occlumency with Snape too.

            "Is there a problem, Mr Potter?"

            Thinking quickly, Harry tried to find a way to get out of it. "Why do I have to do Occlumency again? Voldemort can't possess me, he's already tried."

            McGonagall hid the flinch very well. "True, but that link still exists between you, and he is still able to penetrate your mind. Professor Dumbledore thinks it would be best if you can block out You-Know-Who's intrusion altogether."

            Harry closed his eyes in resignation and nodded. He might as well face the facts; this is going to be one nightmare of a year.

            "You will go to Professor Dumbledore's office at 8 o'clock sharp every Tuesday and Thursday, starting next week," McGonagall said.

            Harry snapped open his eyes again and gazed at McGonagall intently. "Dumbledore's office?" he asked.

            McGonagall nodded, smiling. "Yes. You will be studying Occlumency with the headmaster," she said. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he left McGonagall's office.

            Harry arrived back at Gryffindor tower feeling light-hearted. He was doing something to counter Snape's abuse in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and doing it by the rules, which Harry had to admit was a strange sensation to him. He was so used to getting his way by breaking the rules.

            "We can do it?" Ron asked as Harry entered the room. He and Hermione were sitting at a table, Ron playing Exploding Snap and getting disapproving glances from Hermione who was, of course, studying. 

            "Yep," Harry replied.

            "Cool," Ron said.

            "When does it start?" Hermione asked.

            "Next weekend. McGonagall is going to get us the History of Magic Classroom," Harry replied. 

            Harry sat down at the table with Ron and Hermione and moved some books to the side of the table with a mighty heave; they were all so big and heavy. 

            "Can I have some parchment, Hermione? I need to write the notice."

            Hermione handed him some parchment with an inkpot and quill, and Harry immediately started preparing the notice for the DA. 

            "Dumbledore wants me to do Occlumency again," Harry said suddenly.

            "Why?" Ron asked, while Hermione nodded her head approvingly. 

            "Why do you think, Ron? Harry has to stop – Voldemort – from getting inside his head," Hermione said. Although Hermione had said Voldemort's name for the first time last year, she still had difficulty with it.

            "But Snape - "

            "It's alright, Dumbledore's teaching me this time," Harry said.

            "Thank, Merlin," Ron said, sighing with relief.

            When Harry had finished the notice for the DA, he cast a duplicating spell on it so he had three copies, and he put one of them up on the message board, next to the notice about Quidditch tryouts. As he was doing this, he spotted that some people had already signed their name for the Quidditch tryouts. Ginny was one of them.

            "You're trying out for chaser, Ginny?" Harry called out to Ginny, who was sitting at a table as far away from the main gathering of people as she could. She had been sitting with her elbows on the table, her head leaning down on her hands with several books piled around her. She looked up, nodded her head, and immediately went back to her book.

            Harry went back to Ron and Hermione. "What's up with Ginny?"

            "O.W.Ls," Ron said, just as his cards exploded in front of him, several of them landing in Hermione's bushy hair.

            "Ahh," Harry said, understanding. They really piled on the homework during fifth year. "We have to get these out to the other houses," he said, indicating the other two notices. 

            "How come there are only two other notices?" Hermione asked, picking out the last of the cards from her hair.

            "We don't want the Slytherins in the DA, do we?" Ron said, rolling his eyes, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

            "Yeah, imagine Malfoy showing up," Harry said.

            "He wouldn't!" Hermione exclaimed, aghast at the prospect. "Or Vexten," she added.

            They all shuddered.

**************************

**Please R&R**


End file.
